Bobbin creel

ABSTRACT

ESPECIALLY SUITED FOR USE WITH CARPET TURFTING MACHINES WHICH USE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL CONTINUOUS YARNS, BUT ALSO USEFUL FOR OTHER PURPOSES SUCH AS WEAVING AND KNITTING PROCESSES, THE DIRECTION OF THE TAKE OFF POINTS OF THE YARNS ARE ARRANGED ON THE RACK SO THAT THE CONVERGING TRIANGLES FORMED BY THE AXES OF THE YARN CONES ARE NESTED TOGETHER THEREBY CONSERVING A CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF THE LOST TRIANGLE OF SPACE PRESENT IN PREVIOUS CREEL DESIGNS. IN ONE FORM OF THE PRESENT CREEL ARRANGEMENT A RACK IS CONSTRUCTED FROM VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ANGLE IRON MEMBERS AND THE BOBBINS ARE REMOVABLY SUPPORTED ON CONE HOLDER BRACKETS BENT IN A SHAPE SIMILAR TO BICYCLE HANDLEBARS WHICH ARE WELDED IN THE MIDDLE TO A POST AND EACH HANDLE PROVIDES A MEMBER ON WHICH A BOBBIN OR YARN PACKAGE IS REMOVABLY SUPPORTED. THE DIRECTION OF THE TAKE OFF POINTS OF THE YARN IS SO ARRANGED ALTERNATIVELY SO THAT THE CONVERGING TRIANGLES FORMED BY THE AXES OF THE YARN CONES ARE NESTED TOGETHER AND IN ONE FORM SPACE IS CONSERVED WITHIN THE RACK BUT MORE AISLES ARE NECESSARY WHICH IS A MOST CONVENIENT CREEL TO SERVICE BECAUSE ALL THE DISTANCES ARE REDUCED AND IT IS EASY TO REACH EVERY POINT IN THE CREEL. ANOTHER FROM SAVES OVER 20% OF FLOOR SPACE COMPARED TO AN OLD STYLE CREEL. THERE IS NO AISLE INSIDE THE RACK AND ALL SERVICING IS PERFORMED FROM THE FLOOR AROUND THE RACK. THE YARN SUPPORT BRACKETS ARE ANGLED WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER SO THAT THE AXES OF THE YARN PACKAGE SUPPORT MEMBERS ON EACH BRACKET CONVERGE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SECTION OF THE RACK.

Feb. 13, 1973 M. BEASLEY BOBBIN CREEL 4 Sheet -s 1 Filed 8. 1971 TTOR 5y Feb. 13,1913 M EASLEY 3,716,203

. BOBBIN CREEL Filed Feb. 8, 1971 4'Sheets-Sheet 2 M. M. BEASLEY BOBBIN CREEL Feb 13, 1913 Filed Feb. 8, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l/VVEN 70 My 17!. 35452 5) ATTOR/V Feb."l3, 1973 M 'BEASLEY 3,716,203

' BOBBIN CREEL Filed Feb. 8, 1971 4 Sheet S-Sheet 4 l/VVE/V 70R 1712/ .5545; 6

ATTORNEY 3,716,203 BOBBIN CREEL Max M. Beasley, Chattanooga, Tenn, assignor to Tuftco Corp., Chattanooga, Tenn. Filed Feb. 8, 1971, Ser. No. 113,551 Int. Cl. B65h 49/02; D02h 1/00; D03j 5/08 US. Cl. 242-131 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Especially suited for use with carpet tufting machines which use a number of individual continuous yarns, but also useful for other purposes such as Weaving and knitting processes, the direction of the take off points of the yarns are arranged on the rack so that the converging triangles formed by the axes of the yarn cones are nested together thereby conserving a considerable portion of the lost triangle of space present in previous creel designs. In one form of the present creel arrangement a rack is constructed from vertical and horizontal angle iron members and the bobbins are removably supported on cone holder brackets bent in a shape similar to bicycle handlebars which are welded in the middle to a post and each handle provides a member on which a bobbin or yarn package is removably supported. The direction of the take 01? points of the yarn is so arranged alternately so that the converging triangles formed by the axes of the yarn cones are nested together and in one form space is conserved within the rack but more aisles are necessary which is a most convenient creel to service because all the distances are reduced and it is easy to reach every point in the creel. Another form saves over 20% of floor space compared to an old style creel. There is no aisle inside the rack and all servicing is performed from the floor around the rack. The yarn support brackets are angled with respect to one another so that the axes of the yarn package support members on each bracket converge on opposite sides of the section of the rack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention Yarn creels for supporting a plurality of yarn packages, thread bobbins and the like for delivery of a plurality of continuous yarns by yarn ends directed to take off point.

(2) Description of the prior art [Earlier creels used in carpet tufting comprise upright posts with horizontal runner bars on which vertical cone holders were mounted. The yarn take off was first vertical then horizontal through thread guides, and the yarn had to be threaded through guides at each cross member throughout the length of the creel. Most Warper creels are of this basic design as well as creels for many other purposes such as weaving and knitting processes. Later, tubing was used to conduct 'the yarn from the package to the machine and initially rolled steel, brazed tubing followed by plastic tubing or aluminum tubing, nylon tubes, etc. Then came creels which were designed to retain the yarn cones or yarn packages in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position. Yarn package or cone holder brackets bent in the shape of bicycle handlebars were welded back to back against the pipe post supported vertically on about 12 inch centers throughout the height of the creel. The converging points of the cone holder brackets were aimed at a take off point near the aisle, and this configuration was repeated every twenty-seven and one half (27%) inches throughout the length of the creel resulting in a considerable amount of lost space as well as requiring reaching into the creel rack for a "U ited States Patent O 3,716,203 Patented Feb. 13, 1973 ice considerable distance in placing these packages or cones on the cone holders and in tying the tail end of the running cone to the leading end of the standby or magazine cone. Thus there were two problems with the previous arrangements of creels: the problem of taking up floor space which was badly needed in the plant for other purposes and the problem of servicing the creel rack to do the things necessary to keep the yarn packages in operation. In some places floor space is less of a problem than servicing and vice versa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By alternately inverting the direction of the take off points so that the converging triangles formed by the axes of the yarn cones are nested together, a considerable portion of the lost triangle of space in the old creel designs has been conserved and this concept and principle may be used in two forms as mentioned previously in the abstract to allow a construction of a creel which saves space within hte rack to provide a more convenient creel for service but not conserving any space on the floor due to the additional aisles or the construction of another form which conserves floor space and is also convenient to service but not as readily as the other arrangement. In both instances of the form of the present invention the wasted space has been utilized either through the provision of more aisles for servicing or through the provision of less overall floor space devoted to a particular creel rack. In the past the creel tubing has been attached to the framework by means of friction tape, baling wire or brackets and none of these attempts have been very successful. It was necessary for a guide with a hole in it to be attached to the framework to change the direction of the flow of the yarn from a horizontal path into the opening of the vertical creel tube. Such a bracket was attached with a bolt. The present creel design includes a bracket which eliminates the bolt and employs dimples in the bracket which is a clip that can be snapped into punched holes in a channel to make a rigid connection and the clip provides a V-shaped entry into a hole and the terminal of the yarn tube can be snapped into this hole making a secure connection. The guide for changing the yarn direction is also a part of the same clip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a creel rack which for an equal number of yarn packages on the rack utilizes less floor space than the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the creel rack shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the yarn package or bobbin support member of a cone holder bracket including a flexible wire retainer and a guide for the yarn.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the flexible wire bracket shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a clip to hold the yarn tube on the creel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 the bobbin creel of this form of the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 10 and comprises the more or less usual creel rack 12 constructed from rolled channel or angle iron or the like there being vertical members 14 at the corners and other locations, horizontal members 16 at spaced locations throughout the rack and attached to the vertical members at the points of intersection by bolting or any other fastening means to create creel sections designated by reference numeral 18 having aisles 20 therebetween. For those creels 10 and racks 12 which are high enough there may be constructed a servicing or workmans platform arrangement designated generally by reference numeral 24 and comprising vertical posts 26 supporting a catwalk or other walkway structure 28 having a platform 30 thereon supported on horizontal iron frame members 32 with a guard rail 34 therearound.

Each creel rack 12 and section 18 is provided with iron pipe posts 38 welded to the center of the cross members 50 and supporting vertically spaced yarn package or cone holder brackets designated generally by reference numeral 40 and being somewhat of a bicycle handlebar shape providing two yarn package or cone holder members 42 extending substantially in the same direction and converging at a point illustrated in FIG. 2 whereat the yarn ends and continuous yarn is taken from the creel 10 through a tube arrangement 46 with individual tubes 48 to be described hereinafter. The inside cone holder brackets 40 are welded back to back in the manner shown in FIG. 1 about the respective posts 38 and there are cone holder brackets 40 spaced vertically from the floor to the top of the creel on each respective pipe 38.

The convergence of the contiuous yarn members is illustrated in FIG. 2 for this form shown in FIG. 1 by the dotted lines shown therein leading to the tube brackets 46 and each respective tube 48 therein. Each creel section 18 in this form is subdivided into squares or rectangles separated by horizontal members 50 in the manner shown in the plan view of FIG. 2. Thus there has been provided as many yarn packages as obtained previously in creels for the same amount of overall floor space but there is also provided additional aisle space 20 from which a workman may readily reach into the sections 18 and subdivisions 49 to service the yarn packages 52 located therein and to change whenever necessary.

In the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 the creel is designated generally by reference numeral 100 and comprises an arrangement of vertical angle iron or other structural frame members 102 connected by horizontal angle iron or other type structural frame members 104 forming creel sections 106 each subdivided into square or rectangular areas 108 by means of horizontal members 110. The respective yarn packages or cones are supported on brackets 112 of a handlebar-like construction each providing a cone holder or yarn package member 114 converging at a take off point somewhat diagonally across the creel so as to bring two yarn packages 120 as close together as possible still leaving space for the operation thereof. The respective continuous yarns and their ends 122 are taken, as shown in FIG. 4, from the packages 120 to the tube arrangement 46 and respective tubes 48-. Thus far there is no aisle space between the sections 106 and it is easy to reach in from any point around the fioor and the outer periphery and perimeter of the entire rack 100 to each or any yarn package 120 therein.

In both of the previous embodiments it is noted that the direction of the take off point of the yarn is such that the converging triangles formed by the axes of the yarn cones are nested together thereby conserving a considerable portion of the lost triangle of space present in old creel designs.

In FIG. there is shown a conventional, flexible wire device 150 providing a detachable retainer for the yarn package 50 by means of respective U-shaped wires 152, 154 converging at a common connection 156 and attached to a plastic or metal base 158 through which passes the yarn conveying hose 160 and which base 158 is positioned on the shaft provided by the respective member 42.

In FIG. 7 there is shown the yarn tube assembly designated generally by reference numeral 170 and comprising a section of channel iron or other material 172 supporting a plurality of tubes 176 through which yarn 178 passes. Yarn 178 is conducted through a tube 176 by means of a quick attachable and detachable bracket arrangement 180 having a U-shaped base 182 with perpendicular leg portions 184 having protrusions 186 therein fitting into holes or dimples in the channel 172. Welded or otherwise attached to the base 182 is a clip 188 having perpendicular portions 190, 192. Portion 190 is formed with a V-shaped slot 196 therein into which is fitted the deformable plastic tube 176 which fits into a semi-circular portion 200 leading from the V-shaped 196. The portion 192 is twisted on itself at an angle and provided with an opening 202 through which the yarn 178 is directed to turn substantially degrees from the direction through the tube 176- No bolt is used since the protrudings 186 and the bracket can be snapped into dimples or punched holes in the channel 172 making a rigid connection. The yarn tube 176 is readily snapped into the slot 196 and the guide for changing the yarn direction is provided in the tip 188.

While I have shown and described two forms of t present invention this is by way of illustration only since there are various alterations, modifications, changes, eliminations, deviations, departures, omissions and other revisions which may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by construction of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In a bobbin creel for holding a plurality of yarn packages from which a plurality of individual yarns a continuously fed:

(a) a three-dimensional bobbin creel frame having individual yarn package support means thereon from each of which is continuously fed a yarn when that particular support means is in use,

(b) means for directing the take off points of the yarn substantially in a direction of convergence to a yarn take away point whereby space is saved,

(c) the direction of the take otT point of the yarn being arranged alternatively so that the yarn packages supplying the converging yarns are nested together whereby space is conserved within the creel,

(d) the yarn package support means comprise brackets being angled with respect to one another so that the axes of the yarn package on each bracket converges on 1ppposite sides of the respective portions of the rac 2. The bobbin creel claimed in claim 1, wherein: said yarn packages are mounted on brackets having a pair of converging members each supporting a package.

3. In a bobbin creel for holding a plurality of yarn packages from which a plurality of individual yarns are continuously fed:

(a) a three-dimensional bobbin creel frame having individual yarn package support means thereon from each of which is continuously fed a yarn when that particular support means is in use,

(b) means for directing the take off points of the yarn substantially in a direction of convergence to a yarn take away point whereby space is saved, and

(c) a support for a plurality of yarn packages on one side of the creel facing generally towards another support for yarn packages on the other side and the yarns from the packages on one support converging generally towards a first take off in between said supports and the yarns from the other support converging towards a second take off substantially opposite therefrom.

4. The bobbin creel in claim 3, wherein:

there is an aisle between said supports and another arrangement of supports on the same creel.

5. The creel in claim 3, wherein:

there is a bracket for directing a yarn at an angle obliquely to the travel of the yarn from the package, said bracket comprising a straight portion attached to the creel, a top portion extending outwardly therefrom and having a notch therein, and a member with an opening therein turned so that the opening directs the yarn running parallel to the straight portion at the oblique angle.

6. The creel in claim 3, wherein:

each bobbin support is a bracket having yarn package members extending therefrom in a line of direction of convergence.

7. The creel in claim 6, said bracket being a bent membet.

8. The creel in claim 3, wherein:

said bobbin supports may be mounted together back-toback on the same post of said creel.

9. The creel in claim 8, wherein:

secured to a vertical frame member of said creel and there being a plurality thereof in vertically spaced relation on said member.

11. The creel in claim 10, wherein:

there are a plurality of posts supporting vertically spaced bobbins on said creel some of said posts having pairs of brackets mounted together and directing yarn in opposite directions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,452,947 7/1969 Thurman 24213l 2,534,339 12/1950 Chaya et a1 242131 saidbobbin supports may be mounted vertically with 15 LEONAR CHRISTIAN, primary Examiner respect to one another. 10. The creel in claim 6, wherein: said bobbin support brackets having the middle portion US. Cl. X.R. 28-32 

